Motor driven adjustable rotary-cam actuated multi-switch sequence timer



June 1965 J. L. HARRIS 90,977 MOTOR DRIVEN ADJUSTABLE ROTARY-CAMAGTUATED MULTI-SWITCH SEQUENCE TIMER Filed March 19, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet1 June 22, 1965 J. L. HARRIS 3,190,977

MOTOR DRIVEN ADJUSTABLE ROTARY-CAM ACTUATED MULTI-SWITCH SEQUENCE TIMER2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 19, 1965 lS nmwmmwnmwmwfi United StatesPatent 3,190,977 MOTOR DRIVEN ADJUSTABLE ROTARY-CAM AC- TUA'IEDMULTI-SWITCH SEQUENCE TIMER John L. Harris, Whitefish Bay, Wis. (4753 N.Newhall St., Milwaukee, Wis.) Filed Mar. 19, 1963, Ser. No. 266,313 11Claims. (Cl. Nil-33) This invention relates in general to automaticcontrols and more particularly to synchronous motor driven timers.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a simple anddependable multiple switch type sequence timer.

A further object of the invention is to provide a multiple timer inwhich a plurality of switches may be operated in a predeterminedsequence which is easy to set up by the user.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple timer in whichone portion of the timer serves to set up or predetermine the scheduleat which the switches are to operate, and in which a second andindependent portion of the timer serves to determine the duration of theoperation.

Other objects will appear from the following description and appendedclaims.

For a full disclosure of the invention reference is made to thefollowing detailed description and to the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the improved timer construction showing thearrangement of the scheduling timer shaft and the individual switch camassemblies.

FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an end sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of one switch operator and cam followerassembly and taken on line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the relationship of theswitch operator and cam follower during a timing cycle.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of an individual programming drum taken online 6-6 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a snap-on trip finger used for programming.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of one cam and gear assembly and taken online 88 of FIG. 1. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a latch about tobe tripped for terminating a cycle of one switch.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary end view taken on line Iii-19 of FIG. 2 andshowing the yieldable bearing for the pinion shaft.

FIG. 11 is an exploded view of a twenty-four hour drum showing the slotsand indicia.

FIG. 12 is a similar view of an adjusting drum indicating the indicia onthis drum.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the timer includes a base member 1 whichas shown in FIG. 3 is channel shaped, having a main horizontal section 2and legs 3 and 4. The base member 1 also includes outturned horizontallegs 5 and 6. As shown more clearly in FIG. 2 the base member 1 at itsleft-hand end is attached to a motor bracket 7 which is of L shapedconfiguration. The base member at its right-hand end is secured to anend bracket 8 which is also of L shaped configuration. The brackets 7and 8 are preferably secured to the base member 1 by means of hollowthreaded studs 9 and nuts 10. These hollow studs provide for mounting ofthe timer on a suitable support.

The motor bracket 7 carries a timer motor 11 preferably of thesynchronous type. A terminal block 12 mounted on the motor bracket 7provides for connecting the timer motor to an external source of power.

A gear train plate 14 is supported in spaced relationship from the motorbracket 7 by means of spacers such as 15. This gear train plate 14supports gearing generally indicated as 16 for driving a program shaft18 which extends between the end plates 7 and 8. This gearing is alsoarranged to drive a pinion shaft 19 which also extends between the endplates 7 and 8.

As shown by the arrows in FIG 3 the program shaft 18 and also the pinionshaft 19 are both driven in a clockwise direction by the timer motor 11.

The base member 1 carries a switch panel 20 which overhangs thehorizontal portion 2 of the base member on both sides. Also as shown inFIG. 3 this switch panel 20 is supported in spaced relationship fromthebottom of the timer due to the channel shaped configuration of the basemember. This same channel shaped configuration also serves to stiffenthe base member so as to provide a rigid foundation for the timer. Asshown in FIGS. 1 and 3 the switch panel 20 supports a number ofindividual switch blade brackets 22. These brackets are suitably rivetedto the panel 20 and preferably are provided with terminal screws 23.Each bracket 22 carries a switch blade 25 which extends across theswitch panel 20. Each switch blade carries a double contact whichextends between stationary contacts carried by stationary contactbrackets 26 and 27 which are secured to the switch panel 20. The contactbracket 26 as shown in FIG. 3 carries a contact adjacent to the panel20. As shown in FIG. 2 the contact bracket 27 is mounted beside thebracket 26 and is offset and carries a contact which is on the upperside of the switch blade 25 as seen in FIG. 3.

The switch blades 25 are made of spring material and each blade isbiased upwardly thus tending to engage the upper contact bracket 27.Located immediately above each switch blade is an individual andseparate switch operator 30. These switch operators are individuallycontrolled by adjacent cam followers 31 each of which carries a latch32. The series of cam followers and switch operators are supported on ashaft 33 which extends between the end plates 7 and 8. As shown in FIG.4 each switch operator is carried on an elongated bearing 34 riding onthe shaft 33. The bearing 34 also serves as an external bearing for thecam follower hearing 35 which supports the cam follower 31. This camfollower bearing also supports a cam follower spring 36 of the torsiontype. One leg of the spring 36 fits under an eyelet 37 attached to thecam follower 31; The other apparent from FIG. 3 the spring 36 serves tobias the cam follower 31 upwardly and away from the switch blade 25.

As shown in FIG. 4 the cam follower 31 on the righthand side of theshaft 33 carries a stud 40 which extends toward and beyond the switchoperator 30. This stud 40 engages one leg of the switch operator spring41 which is carried by the switch operator bearing 34. This spring 41 isalso of the torsion type and the other end is secured under an eyelet 42carried by the switch operator 30. This switch operator spring serves tobias the switch operator downwardly as seen in FIG. 3 for overcoming theupward bias of the switch blade 25 and thus causing this switch blade tomake contact with the lower contact bracket 26.

Each cam follower at its left-hand end has an upwardly extending portion45 for engaging a cam 46 which runs on a cam shaft 47 extending betweenthe end plates 7 and 8. Each of the cams 46 is included in an individualadjustable and self-driving assembly. A cross section view of oneassembly is shown in FIG. 8. Each assembly includes an extended bearingmember 50 having a shoulder ring member 51 attached thereto. Theassembly also includes a mutilated gear 52 which is driven by the pinionshaft 19. Each assembly also includes a guide disc 53 and an adjustingdrum 54. A- pin 55 extends through the cam 46, the gear 52 and the disc53 for maintaining these parts in proper angular relationship. Theadjusting drum is maintained in place by means of a push-on type springwasher 56 which serves both to hold the drum in place on the assemblyand to maintain it under tension. This permits the angular position ofthe drum 54 to be adjusted and to maintain it in adjusted position. Thisadjusting drum 54 is formed with a section 57 of reduced diameter so asto provide a space between the main portion of the drum and the guidedisc 53. A stop pin 58 is carried by the drum 54 and extends into thisspace for operating the latch 32 as explained later.

The cam assembly also includes a starting plate 60 which is loosely heldin place by the shouldered ring member 51. This starter plate isadjacent to the mutilated gear 52 and is provided with a slot 9 throughwhich the pin 55 extends. This starter plate is also provided with aslot 62 which fits over the shouldered ring member 51. The slot 59 andslot 62 are parallel and this permits in and out movement of the starterplate 60 relative to the axis of rotation of the complete assembly. Aspring 61 is also carried by the shouldered member 51. This spring is ofthe torsion type. One end bears against the pin 55. The other end bearsagainst an out-turned lug 64 on the starter plate. This spring thusbiases the starter plate to the right as seen in FIGS. 3 and 5. Thestarter plate 60 is also formed with an out-turned cam shaped car 66which is adapted to be engaged by trip members 67 carried on thescheduling disc 68 mounted on shaft 18.

As shown in FIG. 1 the shaft 1 8 carries a separate scheduling disc 68for each of the cam assemblies on the cam shaft 47. The shaft 18 ispreferably hexagonal in shape and the scheduling discs 68 are providedwith hexagonal holes to match so as to maintain these discs in fixedrelationship on the shaft 18.

Each scheduling disc 68 is of molded construction and is provided with aseries of radially extending slots 70 for receiving trippers 67. In theembodiment of the invention shown, the scheduling disc 68 is providedwith 24 such slots and each slot is marked with the corresponding timeof day as shown in FIG. 11. As shown in FIG. 6 each of the slots 70includes an outer portion 72 which extends completely across the outeredge of the drum 68. The slots also include extended relatively shallowportions 73 on both sides of the drum. The drum 68 is also formed with aring 74 on each side thereof and at the base of the slots 70. The drumis also recessed as at 75 on both sides as shown in FIG. 6.

The trip members 67 as shown in FIG. 7 are generally U shaped having legportions 76, a base portion 77 and an operating tab 78. The leg portions76 are each formed with circular end portions 79. When a trip member isinserted in the slot the leg portions 76 spread out as the circular ends79 pass over the rings 74 at the base of the slots 70. When the tripmember 70 is seated as shown in FIG. 6, the circular portions 79 passover the inner edge of the ring 74 and spring back into place therebyholding the trip member 67 firmly in place in the selected slot of theprogramming drum.

In order that the control may be set for the proper time of day, thescheduling shaft 18 also carries an hour indicating drum 8%) whichcarries indicia on its periphery indicating all of the hours of the day.A pointer 81 is attached to the motor plate 7 and extends out to theindicating drum. 7

Referring in detail to the pinion shaft 19 the left-hand end of thisshaft is reduced as at 19a (FIGS. 1 and 2) and extends into the motorplate 7. As shown in FIG. 3 the motor plate is formed with a slot 82which extends substantially vertically. A torsion spring 83 is carriedby a pin 84 mounted on the motor plate. One end of this spring bearsagainst the pinion shaft 19 and urges this pinion upwardly towardengagement with the gears 52. The other end of the spring 83 bearsagainst a suitable pin on the motor plate 7. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 10,the right-hand end of the pinion shaft 19 is also reduced and extendsthrough a suitable slot 85 in the end plate 8. A torsion spring 86 iscarried by the end plate 8 and serves to bias the right-hand end of thepinion shaft upwardly. Thus both ends of the pinion shaft in effect aremounted in yieldable bearings which permits the pinion shaft to moveoutwardly away from the gears 52 which the pinion shaft drives.

Operation In use the operator sets up a schedule of the desired switchoperations by inserting trip members 67 in the appropriate slots in thescheduling drums 68. The user then sets the control to the correct timeof day. This is done by rotating the gear train until the correct timeof day on drum 3% is indicated at the time. arrow. This setting may bedone by rotating the pinion shafts 19 by means of the screwdriver slotadjacent end plate 8. Alternatively, the setting may be made by rotatingthe large gear 96 which is adjacent to the time pointer 81. The userthen adjusts the adjusting drums 54 until the desired timing on thescale shown in FIG. 12 is adjacent to pointers 91 carried by the guidedisc members 53.

FIG. 3 shows the parts of one switch assembly just before being startedthrough a cycle. At this time the trip member 67 on'the drum 68 has comeinto engagement with the out-turned lug 66 on the starting plate 69. Thedrum 63 rotates in a clockwise direction as seen in FIG. 3 and thisaction of the tripper 67 is starting rotation of the cam assembly in acounter-clockwise direction.

At this time the cam follower 31 is riding the top per tion 93 of thecam 46. Thus the cam follower 31 is in its lower position and the latch32 which is carried by the cam follower, is below but not engaging withthe end of the switch operator 30. The biasing spring 41 for the switchoperator 36 now biases the switch blade 25 so that it makes contactwiththe contact bracket 26. At this time the notch 94 of the mutilated gear52 is ad jacent to the pinion shaft '19 and counter-clockwise rotationof the cam assembly is being accomplished solely by the trip member 67engaging the starter plate 69.

Eventually the cam follower extension 45 will ride down the inclinedportion 95 of the cam 46. The biasing action of the cam follower spring36 causes upward movement of the cam follower 311 and this causes snapaction counter-clockwise rotation of the cam assembly for bring mg themutilated gear into engagement with the pinion shaft 19. This actionfeeds the gear 52 into engagement with the pinion shaft and the pinion19 will eventually take over and start driving gear 52 counter-clock-Wise.

This same upward movement of the cam follower 31 also brings the latch32 into engagement with the lower end of the switch operator 30. Thisengagement of the latch 52 with the switch operator locks the camfollower and switch operator into fixed relationship and nullifies thebiasing action of the switch operator spring 41. The entire assembly ofthe cam follower and switch operator is now free to rotate upwardlysolely by the biasing action of the cam follower spring 36. This spring36 thus determines the tension at which the gear 52 is fed into thepinion 19. Inasmuch as the switch operator 30 now moves upwardly withthe cam follower due to engagement of the latch 32 this switch operatordis engages the switch blade 25. Thus this switch blade under its biasdisengages contact bracket 26 and engages contact bracket 27.

The parts are now in the positions shown in FIG. 5 and the pinion shaftwill continue to rotate the cam assembly counterclockwise until it comesback to the standby position in which the mutilated section of gear 52reaches the pinion shaft 19. At this time the pinion is no longercapable of driving the cam assembly and it stops in this position.

Before the cam shaft assembly returns to the standby position, the stoppin 53 on the adjusting drum 54 engages the latch 32 and rotates thislatch clockwise as seen in FIGS. and 9. This releases the latch 32 fromthe switch operator 30 and the switch operator biasing spring 41 causesdownward movement of this switch operator for returning the switch tothe position shown in FIG. 3. It will be apparent that movement of theadjusting drum 54 changes the relationship of the stopping pin 58 withcam 46. This adjusting of the adjusting drum 54 thus determines theamount of time to elapse before the switch returns to its initialposition.

The cam assembly during its cycle rotates considerably faster than thescheduling or starting disc 68. As a result, the trip members 67 whichstarted the cycle can be in the way of the abutment 66 of the starterplate 60 as the cam assembly approaches its stand-by position. At thistime, the starter plate merely cams inwardly, this being permitted bythe slotted supports for this plate. The leading edge of the abutment 66is formed as a cam surface so that this plate can cam in away from thetrip member 67. During this time the spring 61 yields. After the tripmember 67has traveled far enough to clear the abutment 66, the starterplate 60 returns to its active position under the bias of the springtil.

The yielding bearings for the pinion shaft 19 serves to permit any oneof the cam assemblies to be advanced manually without turning thegearing and thus upsetting the time of day setting. It will be seen froman inspection of FIG. 3 that when the gear 52 is turned manuallycounter-clockwise, it will cam the pinion shaft 19 downwardly in itsslot 82, this being permitted by yielding of the spring 83. Thisarrangement permits any given cam to be rotated through a cycle withoutdisturbing other cams or the timer settings.

This yieldable bearing arrangement also avoids any possibility of thepinion shaft 19 binding with the gears 52. Thus a slight bend in thepinion shaft will have no effect as the pinion is free to cam itselfaway from the gear and avoid binding.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the presentinvention provides an extremely flexible multi-circuit timer. It willalso be apparent that the adjustment for the length of time of a givencycle is independent of the adjusting means for starting or schedulingcycles. The invention also provides an arrangement for giving extremelysmall or short time cycles at extreme lengths of time apart. In theembodiment shown, the on period for a switch may be a small fraction ofa minute and occur only once in 24 hours.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, it will be apparent that many modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is,therefore, desired to be limited by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a multiple time control, a plurality of separate control devicesarranged side by side, a plurality of separate rotatable operators onefor each of said control devices, said operators being arranged side byside adjacent their respective control devices and journaled on a commonaxis, each of said operators having a drive gear, a pinion shaftextending parallel with the axis of said operators, and adapted toengage said drive gears for rotating said operators, and a timing motorfor driving said pinion shaft.

2. In a multiple time control, a plurality of separate control devicesarranged side by side, a plurality of separate rotatable operators onefor each of said control devices, said operators being arranged side byside adjacent their respective control devices and journaled on a commonaxis, each of said operators having a drive gear, a pinion shaftextending parallel with the axis of said operators, and adapted toengage said drive gears for rotating said operators, said pinion shaftbeing supported at each end in yieldable bearings arranged to permitmovement of the pinion shaft away from the axis of said operators toprevent binding of the pinioin shaft with said gears, and a timing motorfor driving said pinion shaft.

3. In a multiple time control, a plurality of separate control devicesarranged side by side, a plurality of separate rotatable operators onefor each of said control devices, said operators being arranged side byside adjacent their respective control devices and journaled on a commonaxis, each of said operators having a drive gear, a pinion shaftextending parallel with the axis of said operators and adapted to engagesaid drive gears for rotating said operators, said drive gears being ofthe mutilated type for disengaging the pinion shaft at predeterminedpositions of said operators, a timing motor for driving said pinionshaft, and means for individually advancing said operatorsto re-engagethe gears with the pinion shaft.

4. In a multiple time control, a plurality of separate control devicesarranged side by side, a plurality of separate rotatable operators onefor each of said control devices, said operators being arranged side byside adjacent their respective control devices and journaled on a commonaxis, each of said operators having a drive gear, apinion shaftextending parallel with the axis of said operators and adapted to engagesaid drive gears for rotating said operators, said drive gears being ofthe mutilated type for disengaging the pinion shaft at predeterminedpositions of said operators, a timing motor for driving said pinionshaft, means for individually advancing said operators to re-engage thegears with the pinion shaft, said pinion shaft being supported at eachend in yieldable bearings arranged to permit movement of the pinionshaft away from the axis of said operators so as to prevent binding ofthe pinion shaft with said gears.

5. In a multiple time control, a plurality of separate control devicesarranged side by side, a plurality of separate rotatable operators onefor each of said control devices, said opera-tors being arranged side byside adjacent their respective control devices and journaled on a commonaxis, each of said operators having a drive gear, a pinion shaftextending parallel with the axis of said operators, and adapted toengage said drive gears for rotating said operators, said drive gearsbeing of the mutilated type for disengaging the pinion shaft atpredetermined positions of said operators, a timing motor for drivingsaid pinion shaft, a starter shaft also driven by said timing motor,said starter shaft extending parallel with the axis of said operatorsand adjacent to said operators, said starter shaft being driven by saidmotor in a direction opposite to the direction in which the operatorsare driven by said pinion shaft, and adjustable means carried by saidstarter shaft for individually engaging and starting said operators in apredetermined sequence.

6. In a multiple time control, a plurality of separate control devicesarranged side by side, a plurality of separate rotatable operators onefor each of said control devices, said operators being arranged side byside adjacent their respective control devices and journaled on a commonaxis, means including a timing motor for individually driving saidrotatable operators through one control cycle and stopping the same, andmeans for individually starting said rotatable opera-tors in apredetermined sequence.

7. In a multiple time control, a plurality of separate control devicesarranged side by side, a plurality of separate rotatable operators onefor each of said control devices, said operators being arranged side byside adjacent their respective control devices and journaled on a commonaxis, a master control shaft extending parallel with the axis of saidoperators and adjacent to said operators, a timing motor for drivingsaid master control shaft, and means including said timing motor andadjustable means carried by said master control shaft for causingrotation of said rotatable operators in a predetermined sequence.

8. In a multiple time control, a plurality of separate control devicesarranged side by side, a plurality of separate rotatable operators one\tor each of said control devices, said operators being arranged side byside adjacent their respective control devices and journaled on a commonaxis, a master control shaft extending parallel with the axis of saidoperators and adjacent to said operators, a timing motor for drivingsaid master control shaft, and means including said timing motor andadjustable means carried by said master control shaft causing actuationof said control devices by said rotatable operators in a predeterminedsequence.

9. In a time control, a cam, a cam follower, a control device, anoperator for said control device, said cam follower and operator beingpivoted on a common bearing for movement in unison and also beingpivoted relative to each other to permit relative motion therebetween, afirst spring for biasing said cam follower toward said cam, a secondspring interposed between said cam follower and operator for biasing theoperator relative to said cam vfollower, a latch between the camfollower and operator for locking them together thereby restraining saidsecond spring, and means actuated with said cam for releasing saidlatch.

10. In a time control, a cam shaft, a switch including a switch bladespaced from said earn shaft and biased toward said cam shaft, a camfollower biased toward said cam shaft, a switch operator actuated bysaid cam follower and biased away from said cam shaft toward said switchblade with force suificient to overcome the bias of said switch blade, alatch between the cam follower and switch operator for causing theswitch operator to move in unison with the cam follower when the camfollower moves toward said cam, and means actuated with the cam forreleasing the latch for permitting the switch operator to move away fromthe cam for operating said switch blade.

11. In a multiple time control, a channel shaped base member having amain base portion and spaced leg portions, a switeh'panel having a midportion, attached to the main base portion of said base member, a firstoverhanging por-tion extending beyond one side of said main base portionand a second overhanging portion extending beyond the other side of themain base portion, a series of separate switches arranged side by sideon said switch panel, said switches including switch blades attached tothe panel at one side thereof at one overhanging portion of said panel,said switch blades extending across the panel and cooperating withcontact supports attached to the panel at the other overhanging portionthereof, a'first end plate attached to one end of the base member, asecond end plate attached to the other end of said base member, a camshaft extending between said end plates, a series of cams on said camshaft, and means operated by said cams (for operating said switches.

References lited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/59 Harris20038 7/63 Brock et al 2004s,

1. IN A MULTIPLE TIME CONTROL, A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE CONTROL DEVICESARRANGED SIDE BY SIDE, A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE ROTATABLE OPERATORS ONEFOR EACH OF SAID CONTROL DEVICES, SAID OPERATIONS BEING ARRANGED SIDE BYSIDE ADJACENT THEIR RESPECTIVE CONTROL DEVICES AND JOURNALED ON A COMMONAXIS, EACH OF SAID OPERATORS HAVING A DRIVE GEAR, A PINION SHAFTEXTENDING PARALLEL WITH THE AXIS OF SAID OPERATORS, AND ADAPTED TOENGAGE SAID DRIVE GEARS FOR ROTATING SAID OPERATORS, AND A TIMING MOTORFOR DRIVING SAID PINION SHAFT.